Topic: The Hollywood Studio System

The research essay should be presented using normal academic practices (referencing, argument and analysis) but should be structured as follows:

1. Introduction – Explain the question/s you are asking about your chosen topic in your two chosen periods, and what you intend to argue in relation to your research findings.

2. Method(s) – You should outline how you intend to answer your question/s, being clear about how your research project builds on similar, previous research.

3. Research Findings – In this section you should present your analysis of your case studies, answering the question/s outlined in your introduction. You will also need to present your research findings in a visual format (to be confirmed before Week 6).

4. Conclusion – From your analysis, what conclusions can be drawn about this aspect of Hollywood’s Studio System? How do your two chosen historical periods compare and relate to the Hollywood Studio System more broadly?

5. Appendix* – You should provide at least one Appendix (inc. primary data sets, e.g. images, graphs, charts, box office data or other statistics, reception materials).

To explore visual meaning in posters from the studio and post-studio era through a social semiotic approach, to assess their representation of women and if it was systemic of American culture.

·  Just make sure to make your argument very clear and manifest defining terms and presenting clear cultural connectivity. – lecturers comment on question

Methods: Historical and Social semiotics of visual communication which involves the description of semiotic resources, what can be said and done with images (and other visual means of communication) and how the things people say and do with images can be interpreted.